Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Pakistani snooker player Muhammad Asif on winning the IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar for the third time.
Asif triumphed over Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou with a 5-3 score in a gripping final held on November 6, with match scores of 70-25, 7-87(84), 82(56)-8, 106(106)-08, 82-12, 43-91(58), 0-118, and 93(80)-4.
“By winning this international championship for the third time, Asif has made the entire nation proud,” PM Sharif said, as quoted by Radio Pakistan. He highlighted that Pakistan’s talented youth are bringing recognition to the country in sports.
The IBSF, established in 1971, is the global governing body for billiards and snooker, with 85 member countries and recognition from the World Confederation of Billiard Sports and the International Olympic Committee.
At 42, Asif secured his first IBSF World Championship win in 2012 and repeated the feat in 2019, equaling India’s Pankaj Advani, who also holds three titles.
PM Sharif also praised Asif’s family and coach, emphasizing that providing top-quality facilities for Pakistani athletes is a key government priority. “The government is committed to ensuring international-standard resources for our players,” he added.
